New Construction Homes in Houston, TX — A Buyer’s Guide

Working with a New-Construction REALTOR®

I’m Kevan Pewitt, REALTOR® and broker-owner of Houston Prime Realty, and I’ve been a licensed Texas real estate broker since 1989. New construction is a large share of what I do for buyers: I track which Houston-area communities are opening new sections, how builders structure their pricing, and where the incentive money actually is this month. When we work together on a new build, you get everything I describe on my home-buying page, plus the builder-specific work: reviewing the builder’s contract, planning the design-center visit before the budget balloons, and scheduling the independent inspections a builder won’t arrange for you. You can read more about me here, or start with my full guide to whether you need your own real estate agent for new construction in Texas.

The builder’s sales rep works for the builder — not you

When you walk into a model home, the real estate agent at the desk is friendly and helpful, but their job is to get the best terms for the builder. In Texas, the on-site sales staff represent the builder only, and the builder has no obligation to tell you how nearby homes are pricing, whether the lot premium is steep, or that you’re over-improving for the neighborhood. That’s my job. As your real estate buyer’s agent, I look out for your side of the deal from day one.

What I do for you on a new build

• Pricing & comps: I show you what comparable new and resale homes actually sold for, so you can judge whether the base price and lot premium are fair.
• Upgrades vs. resale value: the design center is where budgets balloon. I help you spot which upgrades hold their value and which you’ll never get back when you sell.
• Incentives: I find and negotiate builder incentives (including the ones tied to the builder’s preferred lender) and weigh whether they’re actually worth taking. I keep a running roundup of current Houston builder offers.
• The contract: builders use their own contracts rather than the standard TREC forms most resale buyers see. I walk you through what you’re signing before you sign it.
• Inspections: yes, you should still inspect a brand-new home. I’ll arrange independent inspections, including a pre-drywall and a final walkthrough, and help you get the builder’s punch list completed.

If you want the math behind all of this, I’ve written up how production builders price a new home and how their incentives really work: base price, structural options, lot premium, and the design-center credit that looks bigger than it is.

The rule that trips people up: most builders require your real estate agent to be with you, or registered, on your first visit in order to represent you. If you tour alone and sign in first, you can lose the ability to bring a real estate agent on board for that community. So loop me in before you go; there’s no obligation, and it protects your right to your own representation in that community.

Save money on builder inventory and spec homes

Some of the best deals in new construction are the homes already built. Builders discount inventory homes (also called spec or quick-move-in homes) that are complete or nearing completion and haven’t sold yet. Many were custom-built for a buyer who then failed to close, which means the finishes are already chosen and the price is often negotiable. I subscribe to the Houston-area services that track this available inventory across builders, so I can point you to homes that are sometimes priced well below the builder’s advertised asking price.

How a real estate buyer’s agent gets paid on a new build

This is the part that changed in 2024, so let me be clear about it. Builders often still offer to cover some or all of your real estate buyer’s agent’s fee, but since the industry changes that followed the NAR settlement, that compensation is negotiated and disclosed up front in a written buyer representation agreement. The base price of the home doesn’t go up because you brought your own real estate agent. Before we tour anything, I’ll explain exactly how compensation will work for your situation in plain English. For the full mechanics of who pays what, read Who Pays the Realtor Commission on a New-Construction Home in Texas? or the Houston Real Estate Buyer FAQ.

Where new construction is happening around Houston

The busiest new-construction corridor in the region right now runs northwest along US 290, from Cypress out through Hockley toward Waller. Cypress still has active building in its big master plans, Bridgeland and Dunham Pointe among them, and you can get the full picture on my Cypress guide. Just past Cypress, Hockley has become the value play, with a wave of brand-new communities where the same builder dollar buys noticeably more house; I’ve written a full guide to Hockley and its new communities, and a Waller guide is next as that market opens up.

West of town, Katy’s growth is concentrated west of the Grand Parkway in communities like Cane Island, Elyson, and Sunterra; my Katy guide covers how the county, school-district, and MUD lines run out there. And inside Houston itself, new construction spans a wider range than most buyers expect: townhomes and infill builds close to downtown at one end, and high-rise and luxury construction along the Post Oak and River Oaks corridors at the other. Start with my Houston neighborhoods guide and I’ll help you narrow it from there.

The five inventory pages below pull live HAR MLS listings with the builder’s new-construction flag set, one for each market I work. They show the homes builders have listed on the MLS; much of what’s being built never makes it there, so treat them as a starting point and I’ll get you the rest.

Builders I’ve represented buyers with

Over the years I’ve helped buyers purchase new construction homes from a wide range of Houston-area builders — including Trendmaker, Perry Homes, David Weekley, Highland Homes, D.R. Horton, Village Builders, and Lennar, among many others. I represent you with any builder, in any community.

Quick Answers

Do I need my own real estate agent to buy a new construction home?

Texas doesn’t require one, but going in without one means the only licensed professionals in the transaction work for the builder. Your own real estate buyer’s agent gives you independent pricing, contract review, and negotiation. I’ve written a complete guide to whether you need your own real estate agent for new construction that walks through it in detail.

Does it cost more to use my own real estate agent on a new construction home?

No — the base price of the home doesn’t go up because you bring a real estate buyer’s agent. Builders often still contribute toward the real estate buyer’s agent fee, and since 2024 that’s negotiated and put in writing up front. I’ll walk you through exactly how it works for your situation before you commit to anything.

Who pays my real estate agent on a new-construction home?

Usually the builder contributes some or all of it, but under the post-2024 rules that’s an agreement made in writing before you shop, and the details vary by builder and community. My post on who pays the Realtor commission on new construction in Texas covers the mechanics.

Can I really negotiate on a brand-new home?

Yes, though usually not on the base price. The room to negotiate is in upgrades, lot premiums, closing-cost contributions, and builder incentives, and it’s often largest on inventory or spec homes the builder wants to move. Knowing where the give is, is most of the job.

Do I need an inspection on a home that’s never been lived in?

Absolutely. New homes have defects too, so I recommend an independent inspection (and a pre-drywall inspection when the timing allows), separate from the builder’s own walkthrough, so issues get fixed before you close.

When do I need to bring in my own real estate agent?

Before your first visit to any model home or community. Most builders require your real estate agent to accompany or register you on that first visit for you to be represented. One quick message to me before you go protects your representation.

How do I choose a real estate agent for new construction?

Look for someone who works new construction regularly in the communities you’re considering: they should be able to tell you how a builder’s contract differs from the TREC resale forms, what lot premiums run in that section, and which incentives are actually worth taking. My guide on how to choose a Realtor gives you the full list of questions to ask.

Where are the most new construction homes being built around Houston?

The US 290 corridor northwest of the city (Cypress, Hockley, and Waller) has the region’s heaviest concentration of new communities right now, with west Katy close behind. Inside Houston, new construction ranges from townhomes near downtown to high-rise projects along the Post Oak corridor. I cover the details in my Cypress, Katy, Houston, and Hockley guides above.

More questions about building or buying new? Read the full New Home Purchase FAQ →

Last updated: September 2026 · Reflects current Texas new-construction buying practices and post-NAR-settlement compensation rules.